


5 times Vaati took care of Dawn, and one time the roles were reversed

by Void_Home



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Gen, Platonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-28
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-07-03 13:58:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15820287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Void_Home/pseuds/Void_Home
Summary: [Just something personal for my friend and I]Usually he's taking care of her. And sometimes, she's taking care of him. Vaati isn't sure anymore, really.





	5 times Vaati took care of Dawn, and one time the roles were reversed

 

  1. The brush was stuck. That was normal. He'd watched her enough to know that getting the brush stuck was just something that happened when she tried to brush her hair. This though, this was a mess.  Vaati wasn’t fully convinced she hadn’t gone into this today with the sole intention of turning her hair into a gnarled mess.



“Sit down.” Simple enough instructions, and Dawn does, plopping down and crossing her legs with the grace of any child who still could move without pain. Him sitting down took a bit longer, with angry joints and discomfort abound. Vaati rolls his sleeves up before gingerly starting to finger comb the section around the hairbrush, intent on freeing it from it’s hair prison so he could use it. It was easier said than done, the brush was secured in it’s place-but a year of practice certainly helped- in a knot dead center to Dawn’s back.

“Sorry.”

It comes quietly as he manages to free the brush and actually get to work, near a whisper that Vaati almost doesn’t hear it. But of course he does. It just takes him some time to figure out how to answer, which is fine for them both. Vaati’s brushing her hair into a neat straightness when he decides. “It’s alright, Dawn. No harm done.” And it’s the truth.

       2. Dawn’s settled in the tub, for the third time now, and thankfully the water isn’t turning muddy brown instantly. She seems just as happy over that fact as Vaati does-likely because it meant she wouldn’t have to hop out and wait for it to refill again- as she crosses her legs and watches Vaati as he turns the tub off. With a twitch of his finger the few bottles of shampoo glide over from the shelf and Dawn snatches one out of the air, making her decision with a grin.  _ Of course _ she would choose the most potent smelling one.  Vaati shakes his head a bit and returns the bottles to the shelf before taking the bottle from her. “You pick this one just to make me suffer, don’t you.” It’s not really a question, it’s more a statement of fact. He  _ knows _ .

Dawn’s always happy to answer, though. As he helps her scrub it into her hair-she really needed a trim, actually. He’ll have to do that at some point- she chirps, “Of course! The rest don’t smell like anything.” He pauses over her for a moment before shaking his head. Of course she’d say that.

“That’s the point, Dawn.”

“That’s borrrring!”   

 

  1.  She looks lovely in the dress. He can’t help the way he smiles at _her_ smile. And when she asks him what he thinks, he tells her the truth. “It looks wonderful, Dawn. But it’s a bit too big for you.” It’s meant for an adult, not a tween, and you can  tell pretty easily by how most of it’s still on the floor around her feet.



“Can we get it?” She bundles the extra fabric at her knees and ties it before looking up at Vaati with a hopeful look.  She’d already picked out some clothes, but this dress was so good…

Vaati purses his lips and looks from the folded pile beside him and back to her. His expression sours when she starts her puppy dog eyes on him, and Vaati knows exactly who taught her that. Shadow would regret the day. “Fine, but that’s the last one. You need to get food, next.”

  1. The sharp stabbing sensation behind his breastbone nearly has him choking on his tea. He knows what it means, but where was the kid? Vaati feels along that tether as he gets to his feet, and then he's off to the kitchen. 



She's curled up on the floor, a small puddle of blood starting to form around her gut. The offensive knife lays a few inches away from her, bloodied. “Dawn? Dear?” His voice is tentative as he grabs one of the dry cloths from a counter and approaches her. Her only answer to his concern is a pitiful groan, and a slight shifting of her position to look up at him.”Can you sit up, dear?”

There's a moment where she doesn't answer, and then she sits up very carefully, one hand over her stomach. Vaati’s gentle in peeling her shirt up and removing her hand so he can dab at the slice in her side. It’s not very deep, but he knows that will scar. “How did you cut yourself, Dawn? I’ve told you not to play with the knives.” He cleans it off fully, checking to make sure there’s nothing  _ in _ the cut before he bandages it.

“I was hungry… And you were busy, and Shadow’s not back… and the others said no when I asked them for help.. So I tried to make something myself!” Dawn hiccups and wipes some of her tears with her not bloodied hand, and that’s enough for Vaati to calm down, she wasn’t  _ trying _ to get herself hurt. That’s all that matters.

“Please just ask next time, alright? You could really hurt yourself and I might not find out until it’s too late.” Vaati says as he lifts her up to set her on the counter so he could clean up the bloody mess left behind.

“...Okay.. I’m sorry..”

“It’s alright… You didn’t mean to.”   
  


  1. He’d laid himself down long after his candle had burned down to nothing, after too many hours spent looking through scrolls in writing so old even _he_ had a hard time deciphering them. Notes devolved into cucco scratch that he knew he’d barely be able to make out the next day marked when Vaati finally decided to rest. He’d stacked everything up and retired to bed, and had barely been laying there before the door to his chambers creaked. There were few who would come creeping into his bedroom this late at night, and a soft whump of the door clicking shut again tells him who it is. Shadow didn’t shut the door that gently, and any of the monsters didn’t bother shutting it at all. Vaati shifts his weight a bit before the bed creaks as a small frame crawls up and wiggles under the covers beside him. She’s quiet for a long time before saying softly, “I had a nightmare.” Of course she did. Dawn had them often, after all. Her home life hadn’t been the best before she came into his care. _Of course_ she’d have nightmares.



He pats her shoulder gently with a knowing sigh. “Go to sleep, Dawn.” Vaati bundles her with his covers and lets her curl up to his chest at her own pace. It happens eventually, but he waits until she’s snoring softly against his ribs to let himself doze off.    
  


+1

 

Dawn looks at the clock one more time before sighing. She slides off the chair and pads around the table to grab the extra plates, one can go back into the cupboard, Shadow clearly isn’t coming- he only ate to humor her anyway. The child brings the plate into the kitchen, puts some of dinner on it before heading down the halls quietly. This happened sometimes, Dawn was used to it. He could get caught up in something and just forget what time it was. Derek used to do it too. When she was older, she’d probably do it too.

His door is cracked open a bit, and she can hear pages being turned inside. “Vaati. You’ve missed dinner again.” Is Dawn’s only statement as she siddles into the room, ducking to avoid a low floating book. A soft hum is her only answer, and she knows he’ll recall her voice and words when he comes out of it. He usually did. She pushes the plate onto his desk, taking the one she’d brought yesterday so there was space for it. Yesterday’s plate is empty, like she expected it to be, and she pats his arm gently in goodnight before turning to leave.

“Thank you Dawn.” It’s so quiet she almost doesn’t hear it.

“No problem, just don’t forget to eat.”

 


End file.
